Phlebotomist Schools
How to Enroll in the Right One Near San Marcos Texas 

Selecting the right phlebotomy technician training near San Marcos TX is an important first step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging task to assess and compare each of the school options that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it's necessary that you perform your due diligence to make certain that you obtain a superior education. Quite often the two qualifications that initially are considered by prospective students are the location of the school and the cost of tuition. Another option you may look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. Online schools will be covered in more detail a bit later. So when assessing phlebotomist training courses, location and cost shouldn’t be the only parameters you are looking at. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process as well. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you choose the ideal one for you. But prior to doing that, let's cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online training.

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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?

Right out of the gate, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short definition is a medical professional who draws blood from patients. So naturally anyone who selects this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other San Marcos TX medical facilities, well this profession may not be right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomy Techs tend to work with nervous people who hate needles or having their blood taken. And because most health care facilities are open around the clock, you will probably be expected to work weekends, nights and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the blood and needles, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this could be the right job for you.

Phlebotomist Education, Licensing and Certification

There are primarily two types of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to finish and furnishes a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomist. Available at community and junior colleges, they typically require 2 years to finish. Bachelor's Degrees are less available and as a four year program offer a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. While not required in most states, many San Marcos TX employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. A few of the key certifying organizations include:

• National Phlebotomy Association
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)

There are a few states that do call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, such as California and Nevada. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it's imperative that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomist Training

To begin with, let's dispel one potential misconception. You can't get all of your phlebotomy training online. A good part of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-clinical component of the training may be accessed online, it could be a more convenient alternative for some San Marcos TX students. As an added benefit, many online colleges are more affordable than their traditional counterparts. And some expenses, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a superior education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online might be the right choice for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges

Now that you have a general idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it's time to begin your due diligence process. You may have already picked the type of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the college is important if you will be commuting from San Marcos TX as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online program. All of these decisions are a critical part of the process for picking a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you need to ask about each of the colleges you are reviewing prior to making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training completed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it's extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that meets the state specific requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working and prepares you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you select should be accredited by a highly regarded regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited program aside from a guarantee of a superior education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to sit for a certification examination administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to potential employers in the San Marcos TX job market.

What is the School's Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it's essential to investigate the reputations of all colleges you are considering. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can research internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even contact a few San Marcos TX hospitals or clinics that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the Texas school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in total compliance.

Is Enough Training Included? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are looking at should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums might signify that the program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out from the schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional healthcare facilities. They are the optimal means to get hands-on practical training frequently not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local San Marcos TX medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing your first phlebotomy job will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it's an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation along with an extensive network of professional contacts within the San Marcos TX medical community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? Finally, it's important to make sure that the final college you pick offers classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is especially important if you opt to still work while going to college. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near San Marcos TX, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option also. And if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Find Out About How to Become a Phlebotomist in San Marcos

Choose the Best San Marcos Phlebotomy Training

Making certain that you choose the ideal phlebotomy training is a critical first step toward your success in this gratifying medical care field. As we have addressed in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a premium college. Phlebotomy training programs are available in a variety of academic institutions, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide range of programs in medical care and health sciences. Program offerings can differ somewhat from state to state as every state has its own criteria when it pertains to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you must carefully research and compare each college before making your ultimate choice. By asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can pick the best phlebotomy college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in San Marcos Texas.

 

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